Car



May 7, 1935- c. E. WINDECKER CAR Filed May 12, 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet l 1.\'VENTOR.

CHQEL ES 5. MA 0 /56 May 7, 1935.

C. E. WINDECKER CAR Filed May 12, 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 1 N V EN TOR.

CD-we; 5s 5 MA pe'czEe Patented May 7, 1935 y I i UNITE D" STATES PATENT OFFICE I o 2.00mi. I. w

: Charles E. Windeeker, mam; ohm

Application May 12; massin -1 No; mm 11' Claims. (01. rim- 53):? r This invention relatesto portable containers these drawings, with out intent to limit my- I for bulk industrial products, and constitutesa self thereto, irepresents a hollow, cylindrical,

modification of the'invention shown in apmetal tank made in a single compartment, withplication Serial No. 607,293 filed April 25, 1932. out partitions, .and mounted with its axis hori- The term cars adopted as a title relates not zontal and longitudinally arranged upon a rec- 5 only to railway cars but also to highway conveytangular'frame 2,: here shown as aflat platform. ances. The main objects of the invention are Inthe present embodiment. this frame constitutes the provision of a readily sealed container for the body oiI/ara'ilway car carried by the'usual the transportation of such substances as cement, trucks having wheels 3- 3, although within my 10 coal, grain, fertilizers, paint-pigments, chinainvention the tankmightequallyrwell be mounted clay,:bauxite, fullers earth and other ores, sugar, on [highway whe'e1s-,:or f riiighteven be stationary salt and dry chemicals generally such as borax, since l1apprehend" in some instances a tank of soda, blue and green vitriol, etc. whereby the mathis .type may; prove valuable for storage purterials being transported may be adequately propo'sesLflIf andwhen employed as a railway car,

15, tected, from weather, moisture and circulation this frame comprises longitudinal sills .4 and I5 of air and having mechanicaldischarging means transverse bolsters, 5, theiplatfo'rm projecting located at a higher level than heretofore; thus suflicie'ntly at each side of the' tank l to. cone facilitating disposal .of the contents; the prostitute a runway for trainmen. p. vision of means to reduce the cost and increase Encircling the tank near each end is a Jcirthe speed of loading and emptying a car of bulk cular tire. 8 which runs on or'between the various 20 material of the general nature described; the rollers carried byfthe' platform or frameby means provision of a self-loading and unloading car ofwhichthle rotatablysupported. The having large capacity per foot of car length; the supporting is efi ectedby means of a plurality. of provision of an improved type of, car for-the rolls 9 each journaled upon 'a horizontal pintle proved means for breaking up and discharging means of link-bars into the form of a chain, its contents through a single opening thus entheterminalpintles llL-lllbeing located one at abling the disposition of the same by p0wer-op each side of the tank and-pivoted on horizontal erated conveyors; the provision of a new and axes to'uprights l2- -I2 which are rigidly carimproved mode of-supporting and rotating a roried byf the frame. These-uprights are prefer- 3O tatable storing or transporting container; the ably continuous with an over-arching yoke 13 provision of a new and improved means of se which both joins theuprights together to afford curing such a container against movement; while added strength and also; encircles the tank to further objects and advantages of the invention ensure greater safety. .Theseuprights are also will become apparent as the description proceeds. preferably braced longitudinally as indicated at 35 A' preferred form of my invention is illusll" By mounting thesupporting rolls in a flex-' trated in the drawings accompanying and formible manner theyare enabled to conform at all ing a part of this application whereinFig. lis times to the shape .ofthe tires 8, thereby caus a side elevation of a railway-car containing my ing all of the rolls to participate at all times in 40 improvements; Fig. 2 is a vertical cross-sectional supporting the weight'of the tank and its con- 40 view corresponding to the line 2 2 of Fig. 1 and tents, since a commercial load for such a car may looking in the direction indicated by the arrows; be any weightfrom twenty tons to fifty, sixty Fig. 3 is a'view of the discharge end of thecar, tons or more. p certain parts of the hopper and closure being 7 When thetankis mountedupon a portable broken away; Figs. 4 and 5 are cross-sectional frame, provision isialso preferably made for se- 45 details of a part of the supporting chain shown curing it rigidly to that frame during transit. in Figs. 2 and 3 and showing alternative features These provisions, preferably: relate both to the of construction. Figs. 6 and 7 are cross-sec prevention of bodily,separation-between the tank tional views corresponding to lines 66 and 1! and; frame andalso to theprevention of rotation of Fig. l; and Figs. 8, 9, and 10 are cross-sectional Ofthe tank. In the present embodiment I have 50 detail views showing a preferred means of PTO-7' illustrated meanscooperating to this end, such viding for longitudinal yielding under shock cormeans participating to some extent in both funcresponding to the lines 8,-8, 9-9 and l0-Iil retions. In Fig. 3 {have shown the yoke l3 as spectively of the several views. Y j provided abovethe with clamping members 5 5 Describing by reference the parts shown in it movablebysuitable adjustingelements such transportation of bulk materials having imllpthese pintles being flexibly connected by 25 as the screws 15 to secure or release the tank as may be desired. 7

Further to prevent rotation and to absorb and transmit the longitudinal shock or thrust from the tank to the supporting frame I have shown .a second expedient comprising a radially projecting metal block 20 fastened to the tank exterior and rotatable between projecting portions of a slidable block 23, the block 23 being held by multiple spring's'2l midway betwee nitwo fixed blocks 5-2 I, rigidly secured to the'frame or platform. I have shown the block 20 as made hollow to save weight. Interposed at each end of the block 20 between it and the adjacent block 23 is a transverse wedge-member 22 held in place in any simple and suitable manner, such as'by means-of a nut 24 screwed on athreaded extension 25 of my sufliciently throughout the tank, as to require said wedge. Suitable washers or spacers 26 may be employed in cooperation with these nuts as will benunderstood by those skilled inthe art. The block, 23 here'takesthe'form of ':a transversely recessed member, longitudinally slidable along the top of the sill 4 between guides 29, and having abutment portions at its ends which the wedges 22 engage; When these wedges are in place the tank or container not only prevented from turning, by the action of the guides 29, but is also held yieldingly by the springs which in the case of an impactbetween different cars absorb the inertia of the loaded container. In the case of two such cars each containing a load of fifty tons the longitudinal strain produced when one of these cars moving'comes into'endwisef'contact with the other of these cars at rest, according to the degree of speed and care ordinarily encountered in railroad yard andswitching practice, is a very substantial fi ure. I Carried by the platform 2 at the end of the tank is astaltionary hopper 36 here. shown as supported on fourlegs 31 and'embracing a spout 34 projecting from the "center of the end .of the tank so'as to permit its rotation but prevent leakage of the material. The hopper: is'made slightly funnel shaped at its bottom 39 and is so constructed as to permit the attachment within the opening 38 of any suitable means (not shownlof conveying the material away during the unloading operation. Blades 32 fixed interiorly of the tank are so made as to'lift the material when the tank is rotated about its longitudinal axis anddisv charge it through the opening33 into thehopper. During transit'the spout '34 issealed shut byf a removable plate 35 held by any suitable means, the arrangement here shown consistingof nuts and bolts. Access to this closure p1ate'35 through the hopper maybe had by means of a door 3| which is hinged to the exterior of said hopper. The blades 32 extend to the wall of the tank and are so shaped and inclined as to liftand feed the contents through the spout 34 as the tank is revolved in the appropriate direction.

The interior of thetank is provided'throughout its length with one or more helical blades 40, spiraled in such direction that upon rotation of the tank in the'direction to discharge its contents through the discharge hopper said contents are moved toward the discharge hopper from the opposite end of thetank. At' the discharge end of the car these' 'blades 40 terminate at or'riear the zone definedby the blades 32. In Fig. l, for purpose of clarity, I have shown only one blade; in Fig. 2, I have shown two helical blades, and in Fig. 6, I have shown three blades.

Any suitable or convenient expedient may be employed to rotate the tank; the preferred expedient being to furnish the same with a circumferential sprocket 42 operatively engaged by a chain 43 meshing with a cooperating sprocket 44 which is driven by an electric motor 45 (or other suitable power source) carried by the platform 2 (or otherwise) and working through a speed-reduction gear-set 46. An electric motor is, of course, applicable only under conditions where electric power is available at the unloading station, and sometimes also at the loading station, but it is'obvious that with only a small change in construction the device can be arranged for operation by steam, gasoline. air or other power.

The procedure of filling the car depends to some extent upon the nature of the materials. Sometimes some materials, like cement when properly aerated, will of their own nature flow theqopening of only a single aperture 48. But in the case of some materials a plurality of apertures 48 are preferably employed for the introduction of the material. In case a full load is not obtained after such measures the covers may be'returned to'the loading apertures and the car rotated in one direction or the other, thus spreading the load lengthwise and making possible thej'addition of a further quantity'of material.

I have shown the end opposite the discharge hopper as provided with a manholerhaving a removable manhole-cover 41 to facilitate cleaning, inspection, and repairing.

In order to unload the tank, the car is so positioned as to allow the introduction into the opening 38 of, a screw conveyor, belt conveyor, orany other suitable means of conveyance. The closure 35 and the wedges 22 are then removed and the tank rotated m such direction as will move the material toward the discharge end ofthe tank. Inthe case of materials which tend to pack or solidify in transit the first revolutionof the tank is the most diflicult butgenerally results in a substantial breaking up of the load, after which the continued rotation not only moves the material to the outlet but also keeps it pulverized and prevents it from caking or blocking the outlets as oftentimes happens with a container which is stationary during evacuation.

It will be'understood that while I have de scribed my invention in detail and pointed out those constructions which seem to me most satisfactory for all around use, there are conditions existing in the specific arts which require modifications from the specific constructions and designs here shown, and I do not limit myself in any wise except as recited in my several claims which I desire may be construed each according to its own limitations and independently of limitationscontained in other claims.

Having thus described my invention whatI claim is: f

1. A car for transporting dry granular and pulverized materials comprising in combination, an elongated, weather-tight compartment mounted with its major dimension horizontal and longitudinal, a discharge hopper at the end. of said compartment, and conveyor means inside said compartment for moving all the materials in said car to said hopper.

' 2.-A car'for transporting drygranular and pulverized materials comprising in combination, an elongated, weather-tight tank mounted with its major dimension horizontal and longitudinal, a single hopper at the end of the tank and conveyor means inside said compartment adapted when said tank is rotated in one direction to move its solid contents away from said hopper and when moved in the opposite direction to move the such contents towards said hopper.

3. A car for transporting dry granular and pulverized materials comprising in combination, a frame, a metal tank located on said frame and having a wall which defines a surface of revolution about an axis which is horizontal and lengthwise of said car, means supporting said tank for rotation about said axis, a stationary hopper at the end of said tank, said hopper having an inlet opening in its side and an outlet opening in its bottom and said tank having an axial discharge opening registering with said inlet opening, means for rotating said tank about its axis, and internal blades fixed inside said tank and inclined relative to the tank axis whereby the tank contents are moved lengthwise when said tank is rotated.

4. A car for transporting dry granular and pulverized materials comprising in combination, a frame, a stationary hopper carried by said frame and an elongated, horizontal, rotatable tank carried by said frame and extending to said hopper, said tank having a discharge opening delivering into said hopper in all positions of said tank, mechanical conveyor means inside said tank adapted to eject the solid contents of said tank through said opening and a closure for said opening.

5. A car for transporting dry granular and pulverized materials comprising in combination, a frame, a metal tank located on said frame and having a side wall which defines a surface of revolution about an axis which is horizontal and lengthwise of said car, said tank having an axial discharge opening in an end wall, means supporting said tank for rotation about said axis, means for rotating said tank about said axis, and helical blades afiixed to the tank interior, said tank having pick-up discharge blades at the ends of said helical blades, and said pick-up discharge blades being, so fixed to the interior. of said tank as to discharge through said discharge opening.

6. A car for transporting dry granular and pulverized materials comprising in combination, a frame, a cylindrical metal tank located on said frame with'its axis horizontal and lengthwise, said tank defining a single compartment and having a discharge provision located in the center of the end of said tank, and means inside said tank for moving all of the material therein to the discharge end of said tank, raising and discharging said material through said discharge provision during the unloading operation.

7. A car for transporting dry granular and pulverized materials comprising in combination, a frame, a metal tank located on said frame and having a wall which defines a surface of revolution about a. horizontal lengthwise axis, means for rotating said tank about its axis, and means for supporting said tank characterized by a plurality of rollers angularly and longitudinally spaced about the bottom half of said tank, means for yieldingly supporting said ,rollers whereby rality of sets of rollers carriedby said frame and spaced lengthwise of said tank, a longitudinally slidable member carried by said frame, spring means yieldingly opposing longitudinal movement of said member, and means for rigidly securing said tank to said member.

9. A car for transporting dry granular and pulverized materials comprising in combination,

a frame, a metal tank located on said frame and having a wall which defines a surface of revolution about a horizontal lengthwise axis, inclined blades fixedly secured insidesaid tank, means supporting said tank for rotation about said axis, a power source carried by, said frame, operative connections from said power source to said tank for rotating said tank continuously during the discharging operation, said tank having an axial discharge aperture at its end and a hopper constantly in receiving relation to said aperture during such rotation of the tank.

10. A 'car for transporting dry granular-and pulverized. materials comprising in combination, a frame, a hollow metal tank located on said frame and having a wall which definesa surface of revolution about a horizontal lengthwise axis, means for supporting said tank for rotation about said axis, means for rotating said tank about its axis, and means for securing said tank yieldingly to said frame, said means comprising interspaced blocks carried by said tank and frame, wedge members adapted to be interposed between certain "of said blocks, and longitudinal springs adapted to be interposed between other of said blocks to absorb the inertia of the loaded tank upon impact between cars.

11. A car for transporting dry, granular, and pulverized material comprising the combination of a cylindrical tank, a discharge opening in the central portion of the end of said tank, means for conveying all of the material fromfthe interior of said tank through said discharge opening upon rotationof said tank, and'an enclosed hopper surrounding said discharge opening.

CHARLES E. WINDECKER. 

